Annual Statewide Conference

Friday & Saturday, March 12 & 13, 2010
at
DoubleTree Hotel Columbus Worthington
Columbus OH

The Habitat for Humanity of Ohio conference is a two-day training conference for Ohio affiliates. It will be held at the DoubleTree Hotel in Columbus. This is Habitat Ohio’s signature training event, offering 25 sessions and remarks from Habitat for Humanity International's Mark Andrews, Senior Director of U.S. Operations, Stephen Seidel, Senior Director of Global Program Design and Implementation and Clive Rainey, the first volunteer for Habitat for Humanity. Nearly 300 people attended last year’s conference. This is your chance to attend a Habitat conference in your home state and network with over 60 Habitat affiliates!

Training and learning opportunities for:

• Affiliate Leadership
• Staff
• Board and Committee Members
• Volunteers

Conference Fees/Registration

• Registration is now closed.  We are at capacity.

• Pay for Registration via PayPal click here
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Please read the session descriptions listed below.

DoubleTree Hotel Columbus Worthington
175 Hutchinson Ave
Columbus, OH 43215

The hotel is located off the I-270 North bypass (Exit #23/ Route 23 North). Click here for map: http://www.mapquest.com/maps?city=Columbus&state=OH&address=175+Hutchinson+Ave&zipcode=43235#a/maps/m::13:40.115588:-83.012813:0:::::/e

Lodging

Blocks of rooms have been arranged at conference rates at the following hotels. All hotels are conveniently located within a short distance of the Doubletree. Be sure to mention you are with the Habitat Conference when making reservations. Rooms will only be held until February 26th before being released

Schedule of Events

Friday, March 12

(All Friday events will be held in the Alder/Oak Room and Short North Room.)

Friday Plenary Session Descriptions

Welcome/Devotions and Update from Habitat Ohio (10:30 A.M. – 11:00 A.M.) Oak/Alder
With Ryan Miller, Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity of Ohio

Habitat’s Neighborhood Revitilization Initiative (11:00 A.M. – 12:00 P.M.) Oak/Alder
With Mark Andrews, Senior Director, U.S. Operations, Habitat for Humanity International
Join us for an overview of Habitat for Humanity International’s exciting new initiative to help affiliates serve more families by expanding our scope of work in the communities we serve. Mark Andrews will review the programs, funding, and support for this bold new approach to Habitat’s work in the United States.

Bridges Out of Poverty Workshop (1:00 P.M. – 5:00 P.M.) Oak/Alder
With Terie Dreussi Smith, M.A.Ed., Co-author, Bridges Out Of Poverty: Strategies for Professionals and Communities, with Dr. Ruby Payne and Phillip DeVol.
If you didn't grow up in poverty, you may be unaware of the “hidden rules” that govern many aspects of life for the poor. People in poverty are often in survival mode, where the future holds no promise, and support systems taken for granted in middle class and wealth are nonexistent. If your business, agency, or organization works with people from poverty, only a deeper understanding of their challenges-and strengths-will help you partner with them to create opportunities for success.

Bridges Out of Poverty is a unique and powerful tool designed specifically for social, health, and legal services professionals. Bridges reaches out to the millions of service providers and businesses whose daily work connects them with the lives of people in poverty. There are also deeper applications for Bridges concepts in the area of building community sustainability.

Terie brings with her tremendous knowledge as having worked as an educator, grant writer and social program manager for youth-based service agencies, community coalitions and schools. She has directly assisted communities and organizations to implement Bridges Out of Poverty concepts into policies and services for families and youth in generational poverty.

Construction Plenary Session (1:00 P.M. – 5:00 P.M.) Short North
Holly Todd, Green Building Specialist, Habitat for Humanity of Ohio
Holly will share the benefits of the Energy Star program for our Habitat families. She will also discuss the basic differences between Energy Star and Green Building. Basic construction techniques, insulation options and cost issues are covered during this session.

Annual Dinner Celebration (6:30 P.M. – 8:00 P.M.) Oak/Alder Room
Come join your colleagues from around the state to celebrate the accomplishments of Ohio’s Habitat affiliates at this special dinner. Our honored guest and keynote speaker for the evening is Clive Rainey, Director of Community Relations for Habitat for Humanity Intl and the organization’s first volunteer. Awards will be given to the Affiliates of the Year and Volunteers of the Year.

Exhibitor Hall located in Rooms Polaris I and II

Saturday Session Descriptions

Building a Strong Foundation-German Village Room

Partnering with Churches-Taking Aim at a Moving Target (8:30 A.M. – 10:00 A.M.) German Village
With Jonathon Good, Director of Global Faith Engagement, Habitat for Humanity Intl.
Churches and other faith-based organizations are important partners in fulfilling Habitat's mission. But many affiliates struggle with how to build effective, sustainable partnerships with local churches, especially when the churches themselves seem to be constantly changing. This workshop will address how the Christian Church in America is changing, and explore ways that affiliates might become better equipped to engage more churches at a deeper level in order to enhance Habitat's mission.

Developing a Pool of Eligible Families (10:15 A.M. – 11:45 A.M.) German Village
With Jan Nigh, Habitat for Humanity Intl.
This workshop will share key principles of Habitat's family selection as defined in the foundational principles of the Affiliate covenant. The presentation will also discuss discriminatory and non-discriminatory selection criteria as defined by the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, and explain Habitat's three selection criteria. Additionally, attendees will become acquainted with alternative ways to meet the challenges of family selection and how to implement an effective selection process.

Volunteer Recruitment, Retention and Recognition (1:15 P.M. – 2:45 P.M.) German Village
With Fran Drennan, Volunteer Director, Habitat for Humanity of Greater Stark and Carroll Counties
“How do I get good volunteers and keep them coming back?” Ok, now that I have them, what do I do with them?" Join in this session to find out how HfH of Greater Stark and Carroll Counties utilizes over 4,000 volunteers yearly. Bring your affiliates' biggest volunteer challenge as well as your best volunteer idea.

Developing Sustainable Resources-Short North Room

With Contributors - Relationships Are Everything! (8:30 A.M. – 10:00 A.M.) Short North
With Marilyn Jensen, Development Director, Maumee Valley Habitat for Humanity, Jani Davis, Community Relations Director, Westfield Insurance and Delores Jones, Community Initiatives Director, FirstEnergy
Establishing and maintaining mutually beneficial relationships with your key and potential supporters should be a top priority for every Habitat for Humanity executive director and its board members. Keeping your supporters engaged and aware of your activities can help secure financial, in-kind and volunteer contributions. Let's share best practices and problems you may be experiencing with your contributors.

Top 10 Habitat Fundraising Lessons (10:15 A.M. – 11:45 A.M.) Short North
With Bill Allen, President and CEO, Byrne Allen Corporation
When you have conducted over 2,500 solicitation meetings for Habitat, you learn what works and what does not. Learn what ByrneAllen considers the 10 most important things to remember when soliciting businesses and churches for home sponsorships and financial commitments. Learn how affiliates changed their solicitations from producing only volunteers to producing financial commitments.

Raising Money by Raising Awareness: Getting Local Media to Help (1:15 P.M. – 2:45 P.M.) Short North
With Jeffrey Bowen, Executive Director, Greater Cleveland Habitat for Humanity
People give to individuals and organizations that they know. You can improve linkage to your affiliate’s work and interest in Habitat’s mission by engaging the media. Learn how to tie your fundraising and communication efforts together.

Developing and Sustaining Your Affiliate-Arena District Room

Seven Steps to Effective Board Development (8:30 A.M. – 10:00 A.M) Arena District
With Tommy Prince, Specialist, U.S. Learning and Organizational Development, Habitat for Humanity Intl.
Every organization needs dedicated leadership on their boards to grow and prosper for years to come. Learn deliberate steps to developing an effective board at your affiliate, including board recruitment techniques.

Defining the Staff-Board Relationship (10:15 A.M. – 11:45 A.M.) Arena District
With Judith Millesen, Associate Professor, Ohio University
At the conclusion of this workshop, attendees will have clarified the roles and responsibilities of affiliate board members and compared and contrasted them with other functional roles within the affiliate. Dr. Millesen brings with her extensive knowledge and expertise on this critical component of affiliate operations.

Building Success: A Guide to Capacity Building (1:15 P.M. – 2:45 P.M.) Arena District
With Jan Nigh, Habitat for Humanity Intl. and Tom Williams, Michigan Habitat for Humanity
This workshop is designed for affiliates who want to increase their capacity for serving more families. Upon completion of this workshop, you will be able to identify the stages of affiliate growth, know and describe the areas of emphasis for moving from one stage to the next, and recognize the stage that your affiliate currently is in and what steps need to be taken to move to the next stage. Additionally, you will have opportunities to network with other affiliates who are in the same capacity level as you are currently.

Energizing the Community-Fairfield Room

The Economic Impact of Habitat (8:30 A.M. – 10:00 A.M.) Fairfield
With Clive Rainey, Director of Community Relations, Habitat for Humanity Intl.
Come learn how to tell your affiliate story in a new and compelling way. Learn to take your accomplishments and turn it into an economic statement for use in applying for grants and approaching donors and community leaders.

Neighborhood Revitalization Initiatives (10:15 A.M. – 11:45 A.M.) Fairfield
With Mark Andrews, Senior Director of U.S. Operations, Habitat for Humanity Intl.
Explore the components of this new approach to our work. Mark Andrews will outline the specifics of A Brush with Kindness, Weatherization, Repairs, Green Building and Rehab work. The session will also answer questions about available funding and technical support for these programs.

Building Louder: Ins and Outs of Creating Your Advocacy Program (1:15 P.M. – 2:45 P.M.) Fairfield
With E.J. Thomas, Advocacy Chair, U.S. Council/Habitat for Humanity Intl. and Chair, Habitat Ohio and Beverly Martin, Principal, Martin Marketing, LLC
Rise above the "Noise" by making your message unique and powerful. Advocacy is an essential tool in the Affiliate's tool box that helps us serve more families. Learn from a former legislator on how to develop ways to advocate for Habitat and be the voice for those less fortunate among us.

Managing Your Finances-Union Room

Balancing Sustainability and Subsidy (8:30 A.M. – 10:00 A.M.) Union
With Stephen Seidel, Senior Director, Global Program Design and Implementation, HFHI
As affiliates face the challenges of serving more families in a difficult economic environment, HFHI has recently launched a number of new initiatives, including the new Sustainability Policy recently adopted by the US Council, to help affiliates grow and succeed. This workshop will provide concrete tools and explanations for how an affiliate can find the right balance between the subsidies they provide to the families they serve today, while preserving their capability for serving additional families in the future.

Making Use of your Annual Financial Statements (10:15 A.M. – 11:45 A.M.) Union
With Jim Rollins, CPA, Meaden & Moore Ltd.
Let your annual financial report tell the story of your affiliate each year. Financial transparency is critical to many Habitat partners and donors. Whether your affiliate has an annual audit or not, it is important to have this information available and summarized in a manner that shows the community what your affiliate did with its resources throughout the year. It also gives you the opportunity to let the community know what your needs are.

FlexCap Program-An Effective Financing Tool for Affiliates (1:15 P.M. – 2:45 P.M.) Union
With Jason DeHaven, Lending Resources Manager, Habitat for Humanity Intl. and Rochelle Fisher, President and CEO, Habitat for Humanity of Summit County
Come learn how you can make the FlexCAP mortgage–leveraging loan program work for your affiliate. This course will cover the differences between the previous AAR program and the new FlexCAP program from an affiliate point of view; highlight affiliate success stories in using FlexCAP funding during the current market environment; and discuss the timeline and details for FlexCAP funding for the rest of 2010.

Building Habitat Homes -Franklin Room

Jobsite Safety (8:30 A.M. – 10:00 A.M.) Franklin
With Andy Guile, AIC AIS, Claims & Loss Control Analyst, Habitat for Humanity Affiliate Insurance Program
Jobsite safety is a key to keeping your builds running smoothly and injury free. This presentation touches upon the most common and most severe injuries occurring on Habitat for Humanity jobsites, and how risk of those injuries can be greatly minimized through increased training and precaution.

New Lead-Based Paint Requirements (10:15 A.M. – 11:45 A.M.) Franklin
With Holly Todd, Green Building Specialist, Habitat for Humanity of Ohio
A new federal law goes into effect on April 22, and affiliates undertaking rehab projects will need to know the requirements. This presentation will provide affiliates with information on the new requirements, budgeting and appropriate safety measures for construction teams.

Energy Star Certification (1:15 P.M. – 2:45 P.M.) Franklin
With Holly Todd, Green Building Specialist, Habitat for Humanity of Ohio
Before hiring an Energy Star rater and getting the first inspection, affiliates need to know certain information before moving forward. This presentation provides information on the ins and outs of ratings and will prepare affiliates to go for the Star in 2010!

Habitat ReStore Sessions-Pickaway Room

Ohio ReStore Council Meeting (8:30 A.M. – 10:00 A.M.) Pickaway
With Todd Miller, ReStore Director, Delaware County Habitat for Humanity and Chair, Ohio ReStore Council
If you have a ReStore and not a part of the Ohio ReStore Council, be sure to join the newly formed Ohio ReStore Council to learn and network with your colleagues.

ReStore Safety and Loss Control Training (10:15 A.M. – 11:45 A.M.) Pickaway
With Russ Baker, CSP Sr. P&C Risk Engineer, Chubb, Loss Control Services
The safety and well-being of the people running a ReStore operation is a critical component of its success. Come learn about common general liability trends and proper safety prevention. The presentation will cover effective property conservation measures for fire, theft and burglary and how to minimize your auto liability. ReStore safety resources will also be available.

Recruitment, Retention, and Utilization of ReStore Volunteers (1:15 P.M. – 2:45 P.M.) Pickaway
With Todd Miller, ReStore Director, Delaware County Habitat for Humanity and Chair, Ohio ReStore Council
Volunteers are the backbone of any ReStore operation. As your ReStore continues to grow, managers move from a “doer” to a “director.” Come learn successful strategies on recruiting and utilizing ReStore volunteers.

Affiliate Roundtable Discussions (3:00 P.M. – 4:30 P.M.)

Join your colleagues for an informal discussion on the pressing needs in your particular area of service. Participants will choose from the following roundtable discussions:

• Volunteer Engagement-Arena District Room
• Fund Development-German Village Room
• Family Services-Short North Room
• Construction-Franklin Room
• Ohio ReStores-Pickaway Room
• Executive Director Forum-Fairfield Room